Mooring buoy



Nov. 12, 1963 c. s. FISCHER MOORING Buoy Filed Nov. 16, 1962 INVENTOR.

1 1 6. 2. CHARLES S. fisca -R BY W M V741;

United States Patent 3,110,046 MOORING BUOY Charies S. Fischer, 7 11 Clarendon Road, Drexel Hill, Pa. Filed Nov. 16, 1962, Ser. No. 238,235 Claims. (Cl. 9-8) This invention relates generally to boating accessories, and is especially concerned with a highly improved mooring buoy.

As is well known to those versed in the art, the mooring of boats and yachts, especially the latter, often presents considerable difiiculty, usually requiring extra personnel and considerable skill and coordination to accomplish the tedious and dangerous task, especially in rough seas.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a unique mooring device or buoy which permits of quick and easy connection of a line from a boat or yacht to the buoy and release therefrom, enabling even a single person to moor a boat or yacht of considerable size with relative ease, and which effectively reduces or eliminates hazards heretofore associated with mooning operations.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a mooring system or device having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein an operator, say the skipper of a boat or yacht, may accomplish the operation single-handed and without leaving the cockpit or operating area of his craft.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a mooring apparatus of the type described which is extremely simple in construction, requiring a minimum of parts, durable and long-lasting in use, entirely reliable in operation, and which can be economically manufactured for sale at a reasonable price.

Other objects of the present invention will become ap parent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view showing a mooring buoy constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially along the line 22 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view showing a securing element which is part of the mooring apparatus of the instant invention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, a mooring buoy is there generally designated 3 and includes a hollow relatively fiat body, being generally circular in plan out line configuration. The hollow body 3 includes a generally circular bottom Wall 5, about the periphery of which upstands a side wall 5a. An upper or top wall 4, also of generally circular outline configuration extends from the side wall 5:: in spaced superposed relation over the bottom wall 5.

Centrally of the bottom wall 5 there may be provided on the inner or upper side thereof an upstanding, generally conical retaining guide member 6. The conical member 6 at its lower extremity merges smoothly with the upper surface of the bottom wall 5, and the bottom wall declines radially outward in all directions away 3,1 19,345 Patented Nov. 12, 1963 from the conical member. Formed in the bottom wall 5 may be one or more drainage holes 10.

The outer peripheral region of bottom wall 5 may curve upward, best seen in FIGURE 2, to merge smoothly with peripheral side wall 5a. The top wall 4, extending across the top of the body 3, may be formed centrally with a through opening or hole 40. The opening or hole 4a thus communicates vertically through the top wall 4 between the interior and exterior of the body 3 and is in substantial vertical alignment with the conical member 6, being spaced directly thereover.

Further, the top wall 4 is formed with a plurality of radially outwardly extending cutouts or slots 11. The slots or cutouts 11 may be equiangularly spaced and extend radially outward from the central opening 4a each terminating in the region of side wall 5a. The central opening 4a and slots 11 of the top wall 4 combine to.define thereof a plurality of radially inwardly extending, circumferentially spaced prongs or tongues 9 each having its free end terminating at the central opening 4a.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the upper surface of top wall 4 is dished or concave, so as to incline radially outward from the central opening 4a toward the peripheral wall 5a. Conversely, the upper surface of top wall 4, and hence the upper surfaces of prongs 9, may be considered as declining radially inward toward the central opening 40. Also, the under or inner surface of top wall 4 is preferably configured to incline radially outward away from the central opening 4a in the direction toward peripheral side wall 5a.

On the underside of the body 3 there is provided flotation 7, which may assume the configuration of an annular air chamber concentric with the bottom wall 5. The air chamber 7 thus provides flotation to maintain the bottom wall 5 spaced over a water surface, and the annular configuration of the air chamber provides a central region beneath the bottom wall from which may depend an attachment member or eye 8 for connection to an anchor line.

In use, the buoy body 3 floats on the water surface, being held in position by an anchor connected to the attachment member 8. Rainfall or spray entering the interior of the body 3 drains out through the holes 10.

A securement element 1, see FIGURE 3, may assume the form of a sphere or ball, and is connected to one end of the line 2. The securement element 1 and line 2 are carried by the boat or yacht when under way. When it is desired to moor the vessel, the securing element 1 may be suspended by the line 2 anywhere over the buoy body 3 and dropped thereon. The securing element 1 gravitates toward the center of the body 3 and through the opening 4a, whereupon it rides down the member 6 beneath the top wall 4 with the line 2 received in one of the slots 11. The securing element 1 tends to move radially outward along the bottom wall 5, as by the outward declination thereof and further engage the line 2 into its receiving slot 11. Also, any tension imparted to the line 2 causes the securing element 1 to move radially outward, along the outwardly inclined undersurface of top wall 4, so as to engage the line 2 further in its receiving slot. However, the securing element may be removed or separated from the buoy body 3 by deliberate radially inward movement of the line 2 into the central opening 4a, and upward withdrawing of the securing element through the central opening.

While the buoy body 3 has been indicated as fabricated of plastic, which may be preferred in production, it is understood that any suitable materials may be employed.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a mooring apparatus which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A mooring buoy comprising a bottom wall, a side wall upstanding about said bottom wall, and a top wall spaced over said bottom wall, said top wall being pro vided with a central through opening and 'having its upper surface declining toward said opening, for guidance toward and reception in said opening of a line-suspended securing element, said top wall being provided with a plurality of cutouts extending outward from said opening for receiving a line connected to a received securing element, and said bottom wall having its upper surface declining outward for guiding a received securing element outward beneath said top wall.

2. A mooring buoy comprising a bottom wall, a side wall upstanding about said bottom wall, and a top wall spaced over said bottom wall, said top wall being provided with a central through opening and having its upper surface declining toward said opening, for guidance toward and reception in said opening of a line-suspended sec-uring element, said top Wall being provided with a plurality of cutouts extending outward from said opening for receiving a line connected to a received securing element, and said top wall having its underside inclined outward to urge a received securing element outward and prevent inadvertent removal thereof.

3. A mooring buoy comprising a hollow body having an upwardly facing opening for receiving a line-suspended securing element, said body having its upper surface declining toward said opening for guiding the securing element to said opening, said body being formed with a plurality of slots extending outward from said opening for receiving a line connected to a received securing element, and said hollow body having its lower interior surface declining outward and its upper interior surface inclining outward, to guide a receiving securing element outward and prevent inadvertent removal thereof.

4. A mooring buoy according to claim 3, said body being generally symmetrical about a vertical axis, flotation on the underside of said body to float the latter spacedly over a water surface, drainage for removing water from the interior of said body, and an attachment member depending centrally from the underside of said body for connection to an anchor.

5. A mooring buoy comprising a hollow body having an upwardly facing opening for receiving a line-suspended securing element, said body having its upper surface declining toward said opening for guiding the securing element to said opening, said body being formed with a plurality of slots extending outward from said opening for receiving a line connected to a received securing element, and said hollow body having its lower interior surface declinnig outward for guiding a received securing element outward.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 964,352 Wheeler July 12, 1910 1,380,244 Otis May 31, 1921 2,814,055 Phillips Nov. 26, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 799,970 Great Britain July 27, 1957 

1. A MOORING BUOY COMPRISING A BOTTOM WALL, A SIDE WALL UPSTANDING ABOUT SAID BOTTOM WALL, AND A TOP WALL SPACED OVER SAID BOTTOM WALL, SAID TOP WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A CENTRAL THROUGH OPENING AND HAVING ITS UPPER SURFACE DECLINING TOWARD SAID OPENING, FOR GUIDANCE TOWARD AND RECEPTION IN SAID OPENING OF A LINE-SUSPENDED SECURING ELEMENT, SAID TOP WALL BEING PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF CUTOUTS EXTENDING OUTWARD FROM SAID OPENING FOR RECEIVING A LINE CONNECTED TO A RECEIVED SECURING ELEMENT, AND SAID BOTTOM WALL HAVING ITS UPPER SURFACE DECLINING OUTWARD FOR GUIDING A RECEIVED SECURING ELEMENT OUTWARD BENEATH SAID TOP WALL. 